Cecile Richards facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cecile Richards
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| In office February 2006 – April 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Gloria Feldt |
| Succeeded by | Leana Wen |
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| Born | July 15, 1957 Waco, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | January 20, 2025 (aged 67) |
| Spouse | Kirk Adams |
| Children | 3 |
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| Residence | New York City |
| Education | Brown University (BA) |
Cecile Richards (born July 15, 1957 – died January 20, 2025) was an American leader who worked to make things better for people. She was known for helping women and families. In 2019, she helped start a group called Supermajority to support women's political goals. She also served on the board of the Ford Foundation, which is a large group that helps people around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Activism
Growing Up and School
Cecile Richards was born in Waco, Texas, on July 15, 1957. Her mother, Ann Richards, was a well-known politician and activist who later became the Governor of Texas. Her father, David Richards, was a lawyer who helped people with their civil rights. He also worked with newspapers and groups that supported workers. He even won important cases that went to the highest court in the country, the Supreme Court.
Cecile first went to public school. When she was in ninth grade, she wore a black armband to protest the Vietnam War. Because of this, she was disciplined by the school. After that, she went to St. Stephen's Episcopal School, which was a more open-minded school, for the rest of high school.
Starting Her Career
From a young age, Cecile was involved in politics and activism. When she was 13, she was named an honorary page for the Texas State Legislature. This meant she got to help out at the state government building. At 16, she helped her mother campaign for Sarah Weddington. Sarah Weddington was a lawyer who won a very important court case about women's rights.
Cecile graduated from Brown University in 1980 with a degree in history. After college, she became a labor organizer. This meant she helped workers in different states form groups called unions to improve their working conditions and pay. She worked with clothing factory workers, nursing home staff, and janitors.
Working for Change
When Cecile was 30, she moved back to Texas to help her mother, Ann Richards, campaign to become the governor. Later, Cecile helped start America Votes, a group that works to support important social issues. She also served as a top assistant to Nancy Pelosi, who was a leader in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In 1996, Cecile founded the Texas Freedom Network. This group was created to offer a different viewpoint to some religious political groups in Texas. She also served on the board of Let America Vote, an organization that works to make sure everyone has the right to vote easily.
Supermajority
In April 2019, Cecile Richards helped start a new political group called Supermajority. She founded it with other activists, Alicia Garza and Ai-jen Poo. This group aims to teach and train women to get more involved in politics.
Supermajority wants to encourage politicians to support what Cecile called "a women's new deal." This includes important issues like making sure everyone can vote, controlling guns, offering paid time off for families, and ensuring equal pay for equal work. These are seen as issues that affect everyone, not just women.
The group also helps women learn basic organizing skills, like how to register voters. They hope to help more women run for office and get elected. Cecile believed that if more women voted and if leaders focused on issues important to women, the country would be better.
Writing
Cecile Richards also shared her ideas through writing. In 2003, she wrote a piece called "Combating the Religious Right" for a book called Sisterhood Is Forever: The Women's Anthology for a New Millennium. This book was edited by Robin Morgan.
In 2018, Cecile published her own book, a memoir titled Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead. In this book, she wrote about her life growing up and her career as an activist and leader.
Personal Life
Cecile Richards was married to Kirk Adams, who also worked as a labor organizer. They had three children together. Their oldest daughter, Lily Adams, worked for several important political campaigns, including those for Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris. Cecile and her husband lived in New York City.
On November 20, 2024, Cecile Richards received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden. This is one of the highest awards a civilian can receive in the United States.
Cecile Richards was diagnosed with a serious type of brain cancer in mid-2023. She passed away on January 20, 2025.
Awards and Honors
- 2010: Puffin/Nation Prize for Creative Citizenship
- 2012: Named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World
- May 21, 2024: Legion of Honour (a high award from France)
- November 20, 2024: Medal of Freedom
See also
In Spanish: Cecile Richards para niños
